'Bones' Finale Has 'Incredible Surprise' Twist to Set Up Final Season 12

"Bones" fans, prepare yourself for "The Nightmare in the Nightmare," which is the title of the Season 11 finale, airing Thursday, July 21. David Boreanaz (Seeley Booth) directed the finale, closing out a full season of 22 episodes and preparing for the 2017 end game of a shortened 12-episode final Season 12.

Here's the FOX synopsis for Episode 22: "In the Season 11 finale, the search for the Puppeteer, a serial killer who turns his victims into marionettes, continues, but Brennan can't shake her guilt of failing to catch the perpetrator due to her brief period of retirement."

Ausiello: Prepare for a twist ending to rival all twist endings, setting up a doozy of a 12th and final season. "We've pulled out all the stops," declares Bones exec producer Jonathan Collier of Thursday's closer. "We're really trying to challenge our characters, challenge our relationships, challenge even the safety of those we love and wrapping it up with an incredible surprise. [The Puppeteer Killer storyline] goes to a place you're never expecting but that makes complete sense."

Interesting. Back in February, the showrunners reacted to the show getting one last season, dropping a finale teaser into their statement: "We couldn't be more thrilled to have another season, so we can give the show, characters and fans the end they so richly deserve. Also knowing there is a Season 12, we can now write the most rewarding Season 11 finale possible — one we hope will leave our fans excited for what's to come in this final season of Bones."

Any thoughts on this "rewarding" finale with an "incredible surprise" that may rival all twist endings? Could be great. Could be a true "nightmare."